The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1887-09-03
THE OLD CHOIR.


To-day, with prayer book In my hand,
worship Ia my usual pew.
The service never seemed so grand.
They sing the great Ts Dsum through;
But somehow. vail'd beneath the chime,
pathos rules the tones sublime,
And, as they ebb and aow,
They sweep me up the stream Of tims
TO twenty years ago.
The sexton mods beside the stairs;
Before his desk the priest see,
Who, Just os usual drawls the prayers;
Each face Il whore II used 70 be
Before the years had stretch'd 50 wide
The organist beside his keys:
The tenor, Tom hard ~ his side;
The alto with her violet eyes;
The sweet soprano with her glriish face;
Ana T. who "led the choir and sang the bass
The lips Of June have kiss'd the year.
And In the loft wait 10 hear
a foot fan break the calm.
In mcllOw'd splend0r through the panes
The deepening twllights purple stains
The air ana spot embalm;
SO hush'd and mystic, yet Intense
Imagin'd sweetness mis- the sense,
As ofa iustconcluded psalm
And nov the death OF day Is knolrd;
Flicker the organs pipes OF gold;
Ana as the purple light grows thin,
Ny fingers, selflnstructcd, drop
Upon the clarabeila stop,
And loose the angel-yoico within.
J. there a spirit in the place'
know IL by this sudden start,
This tolltalc throbbing OF my heart
Appear, with bashful face,
Dear nymph Of All my hopes and fears
Shy maiden with the shell Ike ears
And thc MadOnnas grace
on, not for poets DO young moons
Sail crescent barls on dappl'd seas
For souls OF lovers are these Juuos,
with all their lca:y ccstasics'
Shine, starry Vault and murmur trees,
Your myrads Of m ysterios!
No sylvan secret you impart
Can match the love lock'd in my heart.
And now to-day-rod letter day
For hearts on which we doto-
Flowers make the chanccl strangely gay
Ana Tom has got ono on his coat
The alto wears bridal vail
In her dark hair the rose 80 pale
IL not moro fair than she.
Tom leads her 10 the altar rail,
And all the town ~ there 10 see.
Flare, golden piposl Blow, bellows blowi
Crash like "A salyO, wedding march
They're ~ tho door; They've roach'd tina
larch
Beneath whose sprays (wi4i buds aglOwD
The 'squrcs' best carriage stands.
The lash Is craclGd, away they go,
While all the girls threw kisses With their
hands,
q, magic kcy that memory bears
Yos-though hope 20 be forgiven
I've dropp'd my boOk we miss'd the prayers
I've dream'd of love instead OF Heavenl
Tho sermons done. And as he stands
Erect in priostly gown ana bands,
Upon the peoples bended heads
The parson with extended hands
The bcncdiction spreads
Listlcss, wander up the street
10 where the burial marbles gray
Have faced the rain and wintry sleot--
| think lis twenty years 10 day
SEQ the bricr rose blushing sweet
see the sprigs OF caraway;
The warm air seems with life TO thrill,
And every bird has time 10 trim
It's unprecedented lay.
How of the marring planets bid
our dawning Joys dissolve in tcarsi
How many radiant hopes are hid
behind the mists OF twenty ycar4l
Yet, howsoe or IL pain my heart,
Aud nightly make my cyolds wet
A tender sweetness soothes the smart,
Nor leaves me loisurc 10 regret
WHAT I. indeed, would not forget
That Ger I saw that girlish face,
Or lod that ancient choir aud sang the bass.
IL T. 4. Ferguson, IN Hdypcr's weekly